Brands
The Brand Impact of Sticking with DEI
Report summary
Brands sticking with DEI commitments are seeing gains with consumers. The recent politicization of corporate DEI efforts has put companies in a tough spot. Complying with President Donald Trump’s executive orders risks alienating some customers but drawing the ire of the administration comes with its own legal and public relations risks.
Morning Consult’s daily brand tracking data shows that consumers aren’t necessarily rewarding brands for sticking with DEI, but Republicans aren’t punishing brands for it either.
Based on Morning Consult Brand Intelligence data collected daily since 2021, this report reveals the trends in key metrics for brands that have been unwavering in their DEI commitments during Trump’s second term.
Key Takeaways
- Net buzz is on the rise. Consumers are hearing more positive than negative news about brands that have stuck by DEI. In the last year, net buzz for brands sticking with DEI is up 3.2 points overall, and 5.2 points among Republicans.
- Purchasing consideration is ticking up. A consumer confidence surge among Republicans contributed to a rise in purchasing consideration, even for brands defying the President.
- Brand reputations remain steady. Overall brand reputations for analyzed brands are generally steady, though underlying metrics like community impact are also climbing.
- Costco’s community impact continues to rise. The warehouse club’s commitment to both low prices and their employee commitments has bolstered their community impact score.
Methodology
The audience and brand data in this report comes from Morning Consult Intelligence. The platform helps you understand your audience, brand, competitors and market in a way traditional helps you understand your brand, competitors and market in a way traditional research companies can’t.
- The brand metrics included draw from data collected Oct. 1, 2021 – Jun. 27, 2025.
- Data on page 4 draws from quarterly surveys conducted Mar. 2021 – Mar. 2025, among at least 2,200 U.S. adults each, with a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points.
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